Group projects to some can be the hype of their week or the most miserable grade waiting to pop up on their semester report. Group projects never seemed to truly bother me considering I had a creative eye and since I would rather take the group project assignment rather than an exam. But to some group projects can be an agony. Let’s get right to it and relieve your stress levels!! You are not alone… We ALL go through these phases.
Your teacher puts you into groups he/she has already made ahead of time and you wonder why we can’t just make our own groups. You all gather in a circle. Some people are so happy to start the project and you can tell others are thinking “wow someone is way too excited for this!” And then you can see to your right the guy stalking his new Instagram account hoping to get as many likes as his girl friend has other priorities than this project! Looks like a confusing grade is heading your way!
You exchange phone numbers and contact information so when you have to meet up together outside of class you can reach each other. But there is always that one person who doesn’t have an iPhone and well there goes the idea of having an easy “blue” group chat. Like, “what, how do you not have an iPhone…?”
As you get to know your group you start to notice the certain types of people you are working with. One member is totally in love with group projects. She or he will take control of the entire task! Yes! You want these people in your group! The second type is someone who doesn’t care at all. He or she is the group member you will have to pull teeth in order to get them to do something for the project. And the third kind is someone who just follows along and will do work when needed but really doesn’t make the crazy effort. (These people aren’t that bad! Just assign them work and they will manage to get it done at some point!)
They never manage to be productive. No one can ever find a common time to meet and you end up having to collaborate over email, face time, or the group chat that barely works (thanks non-iPhone person…)
You finally meet together!! Finally, you can get something done! You get through some of the project but you don’t end up getting half as much done as you would like. (Sigh… “Will we finish in time?”)
Time to cram it all together. You meet at the library and try to glue and paste every word, picture, video, etc., together. Yes you are mad, overwhelmed, overtired, and emotional. Why did you wait to finish it last minute…?
Your group decides to meet an hour before class and of course everyone shows up late but you. You sit in the lounge tapping your feet to the built up nerves rattling through your body before you open the door to your lecture.
There is no time for error or any more changes. You make your way to the doomed tunnel leading to your professor’s desk. You hope that everything is put together and everyone has done his or her part well enough! As you give your project to your professor you blow it a kiss and pray your professor thinks you killed it as much as you think you rocked it.
You’re done!! The pressure is off! But, your course website is now haunting you with an empty grade you are left eager to find out. Yes, group projects can be difficult, easy, boring, and all of the above but embrace adversity and remember, don’t be that bad group member!
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